Pleasure and Pain!

It is known that human beings are motivated by the pursuit of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. It is easy to see why (at least at the outset) it can be so difficult to begin habits that are "good for you". Often there is a result that can initially be uncomfortable (perceived by the body as the precursor to "painful") and that has the effect of dissuading us from continuing the behaviour.

Take dieting, for example. Many diets cause the participant to feel hunger early in the process. Hunger is uncomfortable, and human beings avoid discomfort. So, we end up giving up on the whole dieting thing and go back to our regular habits.

What about exercise? Same deal: there is some discomfort at first, when beginning to wake up muscles and body processes that may not be used to functioning fully or regularly! There is delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) which can, in fact, be quite uncomfortable. (Some ads for painkillers are even suggesting they be taken to relieve DOMS!) The fear of that discomfort can be enough to reduce a person's effort, or even stop someone from exercising altogether!

So, what to do?

1) Avoid the discomfort of "hunger" by eating regular, small amounts of quality foods! Check with your nutritional advisor, or do some research on your own. Access Fitness has a great Nutrition Department that can assist with this. Call 519-940-0300.

2) Learn to avoid or minimize DOMS with a few simple tips: stretch after your workout; drink plenty of water, before, during and after your workout; stretch; if you trained hard, take time for an epsom salts bath within 24 hours of the workout; and did I mention.... you need to stretch!?

3) Also, try to re-program your "pleasure/pain" meter! Many agree there is a fine line between the two, and you can shift your attitude and perception. Enjoy that little hunger pang; it just means your body needs fuel, so honour that and grab a healthy snack! Many people really enjoy the feeling of pushing a workout to the next level; all sorts of "feel good" hormones kick in and it feels fantastic! Celebrate that achy muscle feeling because it means you are doing the body good!

We'll talk soon!